The death toll from a tragic incident in Mumbai, where a massive hoarding collapsed, rose to 14 by the early hours of Tuesday, news agency ANI reported. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted rescue operations overnight to assist those trapped under the rubble. At least 74 persons sustained injuries in the accident.
According to NDRF inspector Gaurav Chauhan, eight bodies were recovered as excavators worked to clear the wreckage and rescue those trapped beneath the collapsed billboard. He mentioned that four more bodies remained buried under the rubble.
“We have located them but we cannot remove them due to this petrol pump and the situation can be hazardous,” he said.
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar expressed their condolences for the lives lost in the tragic incident in Mumbai's Ghatkopar. They also conveyed their wishes for a swift recovery to those injured in the hoarding collapse.
On Monday, a 70-meter billboard collapsed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar following heavy rain and thunderstorms in the city. The illegal hoarding collapsed onto a petrol pump located at Ghatkopar's Cheddanagar Junction.
Rescue efforts began on Monday evening, with 64 individuals admitted to the hospital for treatment. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) initiated overnight rescue operations, utilizing excavators to sift through the debris and retrieve the bodies of those still trapped in the rubble.